Kenya Project: Desiree Linden On Extending Her Long Runs

American marathoner Desiree Linden spent six weeks in Iten, Kenya, training for this year’s Boston Marathon, a race she returns to for the first time since finishing second in 2011. Competitor senior video producer Steve Godwin and photo editor Scott Draper spent Linden’s last week in Iten with her, documenting her preparation for the April 21 race and highlighting the culture of the Kenyan running community. Stay tuned to Competitor.com over the next four weeks as we share footage, imagery and insight in a four-part video series we’re calling The Kenya Project.

In Episode 3 of The Kenya Project, Desiree Linden talks about adjusting to altitude, extending her long runs, the importance of recovery massage and some of the scrumptious staples of the cuisine at the High Altitude Training Center in Iten.

“After your first couple of runs, you’re like, ‘these hills are horrible,'” she says. “Then you start getting more adjusted and you start getting fitter and all of a sudden the roads start to flatten out on things you thought were mountains before.”